Springfield Armory SA-35...I'm Out.

Yeah, some people have to have the newest thing right now. The SA-35 does claim to address some of the known pain points with the Browning-made Hi-Power, so we'll see.

Well there's always the crowd that has to be first in line for everything...hipsters of the shooting sports. All that notwithstanding, the gun looks good to me and I own two real BHP's...the two reviews I've read (G&A, and American Rifleman IIRC), were extremely positive. Best regards, Rod

There is value in having production gun support. Still, IF I decide to jump in, it will be when prices are saner and an ambi model is available.

A buddy of mine asked me what I thought of the SA-35 before I even heard of it. I asked why he wanted a $1200 Hi-Power. I pointed him in the direction of a vintage one that he is now very happy with.

Wake me up when S.A offers it in 10mm AUTO, ... or at least 40S&W.

i took my name off the list and got a springfield ronin instead. will look at the sa-35 in a year or two, when and if sanity has prevailed.

Hesa Hard1 said:

Wake me up when S.A offers it in 10mm AUTO, ... or at least 40S&W.

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Hmmm, a scaled-up large frame model might be interesting. They could do a 10mm and a .45.......

Taking .40 HiPowers and converting them back down to 9mm was a thing for a while when the cast iron frames first came out, IIRC.

Seems there must be a lot of people here who are new to shooting if they are surprised at what these are selling for. Every since Al invented the net its like this for every new that hits the market is like this. Those who want the new toy and are willing to pay top dollar to have one now, instead of months from now get them. <shrug>. When these first hit they were at asking of 2K. Now they are at 1K. When they get down to MSRP I will get real tempted. When they start to show up in shops and will be less than MSRP I suspect I will walk past one and it will somehow just follow me home with me having no memory of filing out the paper and such

I have three browning HP’s. I paid an average of about $400 for those. I really need the SA HP, but I going to wait.

No offense intended to the OP... but this is a thread topic? A personal decision to not buy a product because of the current pricing?

Shouldn't be news to anyone that quite often -- especially post-pandemic -- when a new gun (for which demand outstrips production) hits the market, there are many retailers that mark up the price way above MAP/MSRP. And there are still the ethical retailers that do not (I scored my Python at the advertised MSRP, which I was entirely willing to pay).

Phydeaux642 said:

I haven't even got to handle one yet, but I can tell you "I'm out"...at least in the short term. I was in a shop today and asked if they had had any come through. I was told that two had come through and sold instantly. He also told me that he would wait because they were bringing $1,200. I told him that that was insane and that there was a pretty nice Browning on consignment at the shop I work at for $979, so, why would I pay $1,200 for a $700 SA clone? Have people lost their minds?

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I know someone who just picked one up from their LGS for $679, $20 below retail.

I was told to wait until next year for an SA-35. I have a revolver that an LGS owner sold to me originally, and who now wants for his personal collection, but I haven’t decided if I want to trade it.

Phydeaux642 said:

I guess the SA-35 has 15 round mags instead of 13, but will still take Browning mags, no magazine disconnect and a more pronounced safety. He did say the new SA offering was pretty nice. At least if you decide to overpay, you get a nice firearm.

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And better sights, and the metallurgy improved by report so that the known historical issue with soft parts causing excessive wear in Browning Hi-Powers shouldn't be an issue, but of course they've not been out long enough or tested extensively enough to show that.

Folks will stand in line for days to buy the newest iPhone or see the latest Star Wars, pay 10 K over MSRP just to order a new Hellcat Redeye, bid 50 K over asking to buy a house… then yes, there are some folks will pay a premium for a new gun when it first comes out with big hype.

I like the Hi Power design, I carried a 1967-vintage Belgian made Browning for several years and found it concealed and carried well in a vertical shoulder holster. But I don’t desire one of the SA models enough to pay a bundle for one. I personally would wait until prices drop as well.

Stay safe.

thunderbyrd said:

will look at the sa-35 in a year or two, when and if sanity has prevailed.

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Exactly. If I could spend $1200 on a Hi-Power right now, I'd get a used Browning. That's not in my budget, so I'll wait. If the price of the SA-35 comes down out of the stratosphere, I'll probably buy one.

LGS has a waiting list with dozens of names on it already. SA-35s are regularly selling for several grand on the open market, and this could go on for many months if not years. It could be the better part of half a decade before supply can meet the titanic demand.

The pandemic has spawned a new era of gun consumers who will bend over backwards to pay near-infinite sums of cash for prices that would’ve been considered utterly insane two years ago.

While not ideal, I’m just glad to have more 2A support and back these new buyers 100%.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

Hmmm, a scaled-up large frame model might be interesting. They could do a 10mm and a .45.......

Taking .40 HiPowers and converting them back down to 9mm was a thing for a while when the cast iron frames first came out, IIRC.

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The HPs grips too small for me to really LIKE it, but a "large" frame variant would have my attention real quick.....

Phydeaux642 said:

It's all but killed the sport for me. Unlike most, it seems, I don't have endless sums of cash to throw at any hobby. I walked through Bass Pro today and noticed they raised the price of CCI Quiet .22lr 17% since last week. It just isn't that much fun for me anymore since there are too many dollars chasing after too few goods. Recently, I cleaned my firearms and put them away...indefinitely.

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Ive had to spend alot more time hunting for components and loading these last two years, and changed what I shoot most (now its almost all large rifle and pistol primer based round), and rimfire has become .17hmr.
Ive all but quit shooting my .22s.....Tho I did buy a box of longs to see how they shoot in my bolt guns, they are only 11 bucks 100 compared to 8 bucks for 50 of any LR option.
I also never shoot my 9s (which is another reason id not be buying a HP clone), since its the same price as 10mm for me to load.

I think a single stack Hi-Power in .50 GI could truly reinvigorate that cartridge. It’s something Springfield should seriously look into.

A reputable shop will sell for MSRP or less. Look around a bit and see. Even reputable online sellers will have them for MSRP. Of course, they don’t last long and you have to pay shipping and transfer fees on top of that.

I recall in the early 1970s S&W M-29s were in high demand and sold for a pretty penny as a result. Had my Belgian one since 1967, that will hold me.
I joke that the HP was JMB's and Dieudonne Saive's one mistake, since it was designed around the 9MMP it cannot be chambered in 45ACP without a major redesign. Cf. the S&W M-639 and M-645.